Metallic sheathing.



'-NEYQGQVGLM PATLNTED AUG. 8, 1 905.

` L. STEINMETZ.

.METALLIC SHBATHING- APrLIoATmN FILED 211.219,1904,

- INVENTOR 9 f l u v WITNESSES- LUDWIG STEINMETZ, OF MUNICH, (irERMANY.

METALLIC SHEATHING.

Specibation of Letters Patent.

" Patented Aug. s, 1905.

Application tied April 29. 1964. serial No. 205.508.

Be it known that I, LUDWIG STEINMETZ, a resident of Munich, Bavaria, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements lin Metallic Sheathing; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to metallic plates or sheathing, and has for its object the provision of a sheathing which shall possess great strength, rigidity, elasticity, and durability combined with economy and convenience' of lapplication.

It has heretofore been common in making metallic sheathing of different layers to connect the several parts of the same by means of rivets. In my invention I do away with fastening in this manner, and thereby avoid the great expense and time involved vin placing the same in position as well as the weakening of the structure due to said riveting.

My invention consists of a sheathing of two or more metallic plates joined together and supported by means of bent stiflening-plates, the essential feature residing in the form of the stifi'ening-plates and the method of securingthe same to the surface plates.

In order to make my invention clear I have illustrated the features of the same in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional view. Fig. 2 is a perspective view. Fig. 3 illustrates one application of the sheathing. Fig. 4 shows a modified forni in cross-section.

The stiifening-plate a consists of a continuous sheet of metal bent upon itself in such 'manner as to forma succession of elongated box-plaits ordovetail-shaped portions having intermediate openings, or viewed from either side it may be considered as a plate having formed therein-a succession of parallel dovetail grooves. Upon each side of .this stiffening-plate are placed metal surface plates I; and c, which are provided upon their opposing faces with undercut ribs d, which ribs are preferably formed in the rolling of the plate, but may be otherwise-formed therein. These ribs d are of such a size and so spaced upon the surface plates and c as to fit into and engage with the dovetail grooves formed in the stiifening-plates.

The structure-may be made of double or multiple thickness by the use of -two or more stiffening layers a, as shown in Fig. 4, each layer being joined by engaging bars d of double dovetail form.- Moreover, the sheathing can be extended indefinitely in a lateral or longitudinal direction without riveting the successive plates b and c or the stiiiening a. This is done by breakingjoints between the different layers a, and c, one plate overlapping the junction of the other plates and serving to hold them together, as indicated in Fig. 1. The resultin eitherv case is a sheathing composed of outer and inner surface platesl and c, strengthened by ribs d and spaced apart, and thus securely held by means of the inclined coperating sections of the stitfening-plate a. This sheathing possesses great strength and elasticity and may be erected or the component partsdisassociated quickly and economically.

The component parts a, and'c may be made of any desired thickness and of different metals suited to the requirements. It

'may be used as armor-plate for war vessels,

in which case the armor c would be fitted with the rolled-in ribs d, and the back plate would be secured to the frame of the vessel along the water-line. The invention is also adapted for use generally in ship-building, dock construction, retaining-walls, flood-gates, dams, in the construct-ion of fire-proof buildings, &c.

Having thus fully described my invention, and the manner of its-use, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isf- 1. The combination, with a plate provided upon its face with dovetailmembers, of a sec ond plate bent upon itself to present complementary dovetail members arranged to engage and retain the first-named dovetail members. 2. The combination, with surface plates provided upon their opposing faces with dovetail members, of an interposed stiifening-plate bent upon itself to present upon its two `faces other dovetail members arranged to engage and retain the first-named dovetail members. 3. The combination, with surface plates provided upon their opposing faces with dovetail members, of an interposed stiiiening-plate bent upon itself to present complementary dovetail members arranged to receive and retain the first-named dovetails.

4. The combination, with surface -plates provided upon their opposing faces with undercut ribs, of an interposed stiffening-plate bent upon itself to present outer faces having dovetailed grooves arrangedv to receive and retain the ribs.' V

5. The combination, with surface plates provided upon their opposing faces with undercut ribs, of a plurality of interposed stiffening-plates having dovetailed grooves upon their faces, incut bars arranged to engage the corresponding grooves upon the opposing faces of the stiffening-plates and thus secure the plates together, and the grooves upon the outer faces of the stilfening-plates engaging the ribs upon the opposing faces of the surface plates. Y

6. The combination, with surface plates, provided upon their opposing faces with un'- dercut ribs, of a plurality of interposed stiffeningplates bent upon themselves in such manner'as to formA dovetailed grooves in their faces, inout bars arranged to engage the corresponding grooves upon the opposing faces of the different stiifenng-plates and thus secure the same together, and the ribs upon the opposing faces of the-surface plates engaging the grooves upon the outer surface of the bent plates. A

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

- LUDWIG STEINMETZ.

Witnesses: y Y

ABRAHAM SCHLESINGER, ULYssEs BYWATER. 

